Liquid dispensing system



ELF-831; Wags REFFPFNCE SEARCH R00 Aug. 8, 1939. WHELER AL 2,168,636

LIQUID DISPENSING srsul Filed larch 30, 1938 4 Shets-Sheet l W mi My INVENTORS ATTORNEYS Aug. 8, 1939. A. G. WHEELER er AL LIQUID DISPENSING SYSTEI Filed larch 30. 19258 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 79 1 ENTO F MMm l/M/WW g BY fife/aw WM ATTORNEYS.

8, 1939- A. G. WHELER El AL 635 LIQUID DISPENSING SYS'I'EI Filed March 30, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 MMMM%MY%VENTO BY WZwZ/Q ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 8, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIQUID DISPENSING SYSTEM Application March 30,

7 Claims.

This invention has for its object a system for dispensing liquid, as beverages, and particularly beer, by which system the pipes and coils through which the beer passes are kept clean and sanitary without drawing off or wasting the beer, and by which the pipes and coils can be readily cleaned without loss of beer, and if desired, the cleaning fluid left in the pipes and coils over-night and flushed out in the morning without appreciable loss of beer. As now generally practised, saloon keepers employ a beer coil cleaner man who brings his equipment to. the saloon to clean the coils by means of crystals or sponges or both. The apparatus he uses forces the crystals or sponges back and forth through the beer coils by means of water pressure, thereby scouring or wiping the inner surface of the pipes or coils until they are clean and sanitary. Before the cleaning operation is started, the beer that is in the coils and the pipes leading from the barrels, usually in the cellar, must be drained off and Wasted. This loss is considerable, as there is an average of one ounce of beer per lineal foot of coil or pipe, and the average pipe or coil to the barrel in the basement is in the neighborhood of sixtytwo feet. The usual saloon equipment includes four taps or faucets with the coils and pipes, and hence, there are about two hundred forty-eight ounces of beer lost at each cleaning. The cleaning is done at least once a Week and oftentimes twice a Week by more particular saloon keepers. Hence the loss over a period of one year is considerable. Also, it is well known that the coils start to accumulate bacteria growths as soon as the cleaning is over. The bacteria growths affect the beer flavor, if beer is left standing in the coils for any length of time. Hence, saloon keep ers draw off the beer that has stood in the coils over-night. The money loss from this cause alone over a years time is a big item.

The object of this invention is a simple, economical and readily operable apparatus to avoid these losses by returning the beer to the barrels each night, flushing the pipes and coils with water, leaving the water in the coils over-night, flushing again with water in the morning, and then bringing up the beer from the barrel ready to serve without waste, and in addition, cleaning the pipes and coils with chemicals periodically, as once a week, as desired, so as to dispense with the cost of employing outside help for this purpose. Also, in the intermediate part of the day, the pipes and coils may be flushed out with water without loss of beer or time.

The invention consists in the novel features 1938, Serial No. 198,930

and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Indescribing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a diagrammatic view of this system including a plurality of, as four, beer barrels and individual lines therefrom to the dispensing faucets.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view on line 22, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through one of the check valves in the air line.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view through one of the valve means and the pressure-operated means operable to cut off the flow of beer from the barrel to the faucet taken on line 4-4, Figure 5.

Figure 5 is a plan view of this valve means looking downwardly on one of the valve means of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal transverse view of the reversing valve.

Figure '7 is a sectional view on line i-!, Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the coupling with piston therein in one branch pipe for the pressure fluid leading to one of the pressure-operated pistons which operates the two-way valve.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a modified form of the invention.

This invention comprises a dispensing system including a reservoir or barrel for the liquid or beer under pressure to be dispensed, a discharge faucet, a conduit between the reservoir and the faucet, two-way valve means therein including a shiftable member, an air conduit connected to the former conduit adjacent the faucet and hav ing a normally closed valve therein which, when open and the faucet is closed, permits air to force the liquid or beer backwardly out of the coils and the pipes into the barrel, a cleansing fluid or water supply conduit connected to the valve means, which valve means is normally in such position as to open the first conduit to the flow of liquid or beer and operable to close the same and 50 open the first conduit from the valve means to the faucet to the cleansing fluid, so that the cleansing fluid or Water can flow through the first conduit from the two-way valve means to the faucet and out of the faucet, if the faucet is left open, and

anm. e,

pressure-operated means for operating the movable valve member.

All valves are preferably operable from the bar or the controls therefor within easy reach of the bar tender.

We have here illustrated our invention as embodied in a system including a plurality of faucets; coils and reservoirs or barrels, the system being operable to clean all the coils in the same operation.

I, 2, 3 and 4 designate respectively the reservoirs or barrels for different kinds of liquids or beverages or beer, these all having the usual tapping or bung rods 5, 6, 1 and 8.

9, I8, II and I2 designate the faucets from which the beer is drawn. I 3 is an ordinary water faucet. Each of these faucets have cooling coils I4, I5, I6, I1 and I8 located in a box or chest I9 adjacent the bar where the beer is to be dispensed. These coils are refrigerated in any suitable manner.

26, 2|, 22 and 23 designate pipes between the coils I4, I5, I6 and I1 respectively and the valve means located at the outer ends of each of the tapping or bung rods 5, 6, 1 and 8. 24, 25, 26 and 21 designate respectively the two-way valve means. These are all the same construction. The pipes 20, 2|, 22, 23 and the coils I4, |5, I6, I1 constitute conduits between the barrels and the dispensing faucets.

28 designates an air conduit connected to a suitable source of air under pressure, this being connected to the pipes 28, 2|, 22, 23 and the coils I4, I5, I6, I1 therein adjacent the faucets 9, II), II, I2. As' here shown, it is connected to the conduits including the pipes 20 and 2| and the coils I4 and I5 adjacent the faucets 9 and I8, through a branch coupling 29 having a check valve 38 in each of its branches, this coupling being connected through pipes 3| and 32 to couplings 33 and 34 adjacent the faucets 9 and I0. Also, the air conduit is connected through a similar branch coupling 29, pipe 3| and coupling 33 to the conduits including the pipes 22 and 23 and the coils I6 and I1 adjacent the faucets I and I2.

The check valves, as shown in Figure 3, are of the special type known commercially as the Thomas valve with a modification as to securing them in place and are to prevent leakage of beverage through the coupling 29 from one beer line to another. Each coupling also has an additional check valve C.

The air line has a suitable, normally-closed, manually-operable valve 35 therein (Figure 1). Upon operation of the valve 35, the air will force the beer back through the pipes 28, 2|, 22, 23 and the coils I4, I5, I6 and I1 through the valve means or two-Way valves 24, 25, 26 and 21 and into the barrels I, 2, 3, 4, assuming, of course, that the dispensing faucets are closed.

The valve means 24, 25, 26 and 21 are alike in construction, and the description of one, as the valve means 24, will be suflicient. The two-way valve includes a suitable casing 36 having a movable valve member, as a piston, normally in position to open the line from the barrel through the tap or bung rod 5, 6, 1 or 8 through the pipe 26, 2|, 22 or 23 and coil I4, l5, |6 or l1 therein to the flow of beer under pressure from the barrel, and operable into a position to close this conduit 28, 2|, 22 or 23 to the flow of beer from the barrel after the beer has been forced back into the barrel by the opening of the valve 35 in the air line 28, and to open the pipe 28, 2|, 22 or 23 and the coils therein to the flow of a clea s g fl d water. The movable member or piston is preferably operated by fluid-pressure means to be presently described.

As here shown, this movable valve member is a double plunger or piston consisting of two heads 31 and 38 slidable in the valve casing 36, each of these carrying a valve disk 39, 40 coacting with seats 4| and 42 on a hollow partition 43 in the valve casing, the partition having ports 44, 45 through its side walls. The piston heads 31, 38, when seated, close one or the other of these ports 44, 45. The two heads or pistons 31, 38 are connected by a rod 46. The space or chamber in the valve casing 36 in which the piston or head 31 is movable, communicates with a coupling 41 at the upper end of each tap or bung rod 5, 6, 1 or 8. The space within the hollow partition 43 communicates through a nipple or coupling 48, with the pipe 28, 2|, 22 or 23. The space or chamber within the valve casing 36 in which the piston or head 38 moves, communicates with a nipple or coupling 49 connected to a branch 56, 5|, 52 or 53 of a water pipe system to be presently described.

The pressure-operated means for operating the two-way valve 24 or the movable valve member in the casing 36, as here shown, consists of pistons 54 and 55 movable in piston chambers 56 and 51 at opposite ends of the valve casing 36 and connected by rods 58, 59, to the piston heads 31, 38, the rods extending through suitable plugs or partitions 68 and 6| between the piston chambers 56 and 51 and the valve chambers in which the piston heads 31 and 38 work. The chambers 56 and 51 are connected to a source of fluid under pressure, preferably a hydraulic fluid or water.

62 designates a water pipe, this having a branch 63 connected to the water faucet I3. This pipe is connected through suitable branches with a control valve therein, to the chambers 56, 51. The pipe 62 leads to the casing 64 of a control valve from which lead branches 65 and 66, the branch 65 communicating with a header or manifold 61 having branches 68, 69, 16 and 1| leading to coupling 36 extending through the head 36 of the piston chamber 56 of each valve means 24, 25, 26 and 21. The other branch 66 is connected to a similar header or manifold 13 having branches 14, 15, 16 and 11 leading to the piston chamber 51 of each valve means 24, 25, 26 and 21.

The control valve 64 is a reversing valve, and when turned to one position, permits the water under pressure to flow through the branch 65, header 61 and its branches into the chambers 56 of the two-way valves 24, 25, 26 and 21 and shift the valve members or piston heads 31, 38 into the position shown in Figure 4, in which position the flow of beer from the barrels and the tap rods is cut off. Also, in this position, the cleansing water is free to flow through the pipes 20, 2|, 22 and 23 and coils 9, I0, II and I2, as will be presently described. During this movement of the valve heads 31, 38, water in the chamber 51 is forced out through header 13 and its branches 14, 15, 16 and 11, pipe 66, exhaust passage of the reversing valve 64 and out through a discharge pipe 18. Movement of the reversing valve in the opposite direction causes the water to pass out through pipe 66, header 13 and its branches to the piston chamber 51 and again shift the valve or piston heads 31 and 38 back to their normal position, wherein the valve head 38 is seated on its seat 42 and the valve head 31 at the left end of its valve chamber and uncovers the port leading from the coupling 41 at the upper end of each tap rod, so that the beer is again free to flow to the faucets 9, IO, N and I2. During this movement of the valve or piston heads 31 and 38, the water exhausts from the chamber 56 through the branches 68, 69, 18 and 1|, header 61, pipe 65, reversing valve 64 through discharge outlet 18.

As some of the water will leak by the pistons 54 and 55, means is provided to by-pass this water, and as here shown, the chambers 56 and 51 are connected by a by-pass 19 (Figure leading from the chambers adjacent the partitions or plugs 68, 6|.

A suitable cut off valve 88 and check valve BI is located in the water line 62 between the branch 63 leading to the water faucet l3 and the control valve 64. The water used in flushing out the pipes 20, 2|, 22 and 23 and their coils is preferably taken from the branch pipes 65 utilized when the control or reversing valve is operated to shift the valve pistons or heads 31, 38 to their position shown in Figure 4, in which position the beer is cut off from flowing.

82 designates a water conduit leading from the pipe 65 to a pipe 83 leading into a chamber 84 having the branches therefrom communicating with the chamber of the valve casing 36 in which the piston or the valve head 38 works, through the coupling 49, so that when the valve means 24, 25, 26 and 21 are shifted to the position shown in Figure 4, the water will flow through the nipple 49 into the valve casing 36 or the chamber thereof, in which the piston or valve head 38 works, through the port 45 out through the hollow partition 43, nipple 48 and up through the pipes 28, 2|, 22, 23 and the coils therein and out through the faucets 9,18, I and I2, if the faucets are left open. The branches are the pipes 58, 5|, 52, 53. Any chemical or special cleansing fluid or solvent may be placed in the receptacle 84. The receptacle may be drained out through a suitable valve 89. Suitable cut off and reducing valves 98 and 9| are located in the pipe 82 and the reduction valve also serves to hold enough pressure in the pipe 62 to operate and hold the piston heads 54 in their operated positions, that is, the position shown in Figure 4. However, in some installations, a more positive provision may be necessary, and as seen in Figure 8, the pipe 65 may have a coupling 92 therein having a sliding plunger or piston 93. When the control or reversing valve 64 is operated to let the water pass through the pipe 65, it shifts the plunger from the position shown in Figure 8 to the left hand end of the casing, thus exerting pressure through the pipe 65, the header 61 and its branches 68', 69, 18 and 1| to operate the piston 54 into the position shown in Figure 4. This movement of the plunger or piston 93, after it has traveled far enough to operate the pistons 54 uncovers a port 94 in a nipple 95, to which the pipe 82 is connected. When the reversing valve is operated to its opposite position, the movement of the fluid in the header 68 and its branches and the pipe 65 shifts this plunger 93 to its normal position shown in Figure 8. The plunger 93 and the reducing valve 9| act as a means to delay the full opening of the pipe 82 for the cleansing water until the piston heads 54 have been fully operated.

96 designates a system for maintaining the pressure in the barrels I, 2, 3, 4. The system for maintaining the pressure in the barrels forms no part of this invention.

The control or reversing valve 64 includes a suitable casing 91 (Figures 6 and 7) having passages 98, 98 in diametrically opposite sides thereof and communicating with the pipes 62 and 65 respectively, passage 99 leading from the passage 98, and opening at its inner end into the valve casing in a direction at a right angle to the passages 98, 98- and in line with the diametrically opposite passage 99 which communicates with the pipe 66, and a movable valve member I08, as a rotary valve member, having a transfer passage |8| therethrough, the valve member having a suitable handle I82. When operated into one position, the valve passage |8| registers with the passages 98, 98 and when in its other position, with the passages 99, 99 The valve casing 91 is provided with an exhaust by-pass I83, and the valve member I08 with a transfer passage [84, this transfer passage being arranged to interchangeably connect the outlet pipe 18 with the passage 98 and the pipe 66 or the outlet passage 18 with the passage 99 and the pipe 66. The specific construction of the valve forms no part of the invention. It is sufficient to bear in mind that it is a reversing valve.

In Figure 9 a system. is shown which operates on the same method but not as fully automatic as that shown in Figure 1. In this system, the automatic valve means 24, 25, 26 and 21 are omitted. In operation, the valve 35 in the air line 28 is opened to force the beer from the coils back through the pipes 28, 2P 22 and 23, then the operator must go to the barrels in the basement and operate manually operable two-way valves 24, 25 26 and 21 to cut oil" the tap rods and open the pipes 28 Zi 22 and 23 to the inlet of flushing water from the water pipe 62 through manifold or flushing box 84 and branches 58 5| 52 53 so that the water will flow up into the pipes 28 2| 22 and 23 to the faucets. After the cleaning period, the valves 24*, 25 26* and 21 are again manually operated, the faucets 9 |8 M and I2 opened and the pressure of the beer allowed to force the water out of the pipes.

In the operation of the system shown in Figure 1, the operator first opens valve 35 in the air line 28, the faucets 9, I8, H and |2 being closed. This. operation causes the air to force the beer in the coils I4, l5, l5 and I1 and the pipes 28, 2|, 22 and 23 back into the barrel. The operator then operates the reversing valve 64 permitting the water under pressure to flom through the pipes 62, reversing valve 64, pipe 65, header 61 and branches 68, 69, 18 and 1| to the piston chamber 56 of each valve mechanism 24, 25, 26 and 21. This operation shifts the movable valve member or piston or valve head 31, 38 into the position shown in Figure 4 cutting off the flow of beer and opening up the pipes 28, 2|, 22 and 23 and the coils. therein to the cleansing water passing through the re versing valve 64, pipe 65, coupling 92, if used, pipe 82 with reducing valve 9| therein, distributing chamber 34 and its branches 58, 5|, 52 and 53. After the cleansing operation or after the coils and pipes have been allowed to stand for any period, say over-night, the operator again operates the reversing valve permitting the water to flow through pipe 65, header 13 and branches 14, 15,16 and 11 into the chamber 51 of each valve means 24, 25, 26 and 21 shifting the piston or valve heads 31, 38 back to their normal position so that the pressure of the beer, upon opening of the faucets 9, l8, H and I2 forces the water out of the pipes.

, What we claim is:

1. In a liquid dispensing system, a reservoir for the liquid under pressure to be dispensed, a discharge faucet, a conduit between the reservoir and the faucet, atwo-way valve in the conduit adjacent the reservoir operable by a cleansing fluid under pressure in a conduit con nected thereto and operable to open the conduit to the flow of the liquid and to close the conduit to the flow of liquid and open it to the cleansing fluid, and vice-versa, an air conduit connected to the former conduit adjacent the faucet and having a normally closed valve therein, a valve for controlling the flow of the cleansing fluid, all whereby upon opening of the air conduit the liquid is forced retrogradely in the first conduit into the reservoir, and upon operation of the cleansing fluid Valve in one direction to operate the two-way valve, the first conduit is closed to the flow of liquid from the reservoir and open to the flow of the cleansing fluid, and upon operation of the cleansing fluid valve in the other direction, the two-Way valve is operated to close the first conduit to the flow of the cleansing fluid and open it to the flow of the liquid from the reservoir.

2. In a liquid dispensing system, a reservoir for the liquid under pressure to be dispensed, a discharge faucet, a conduit between the reservoir and the faucet, a two-way valve in the conduit adjacent the reservoir and operable to open the conduit to the flow of liquid and to close the conduit to the flow of liquid and open it to a cleansing fluid, and vice-versa, pressure-operated means for operating the two-Way valve, a feed pipe for the cleansing fluid under pressure having branches connected to the pressure-operated means and to the two-Way valve, the branch to the two-way valve being normally closed by the two-way valve when the first conduit is open to the flow of the liquid to be dispensed and a reversible valve for controlling the flow of the cleansing fluid through said branches, all whereby upon operation of the control valve in one direction, the two-way valve is operated to close the first conduit to the flow of liquid from the reservoir to the faucet and to open the first conduit to the cleansing fluid and when operated in the reverse direction to open the first conduit to the liquid to be dispensed and close it to the cleansing fluid.

3. In a liquid dispensing system, a reservoir for the liquid under pressure to be dispensed, a discharge faucet, a conduit between the reservoir and the faucet, a two-way valve in the conduit adjacent the reservoir and operable to open the conduit to the flow of liquid and to close the conduit to the flow of liquid and open it to a cleansing fluid, and vice-'versa, an air conduit connected to the first conduit adjacent the faucet and having a normally closed valve therein, reversely-movable, pressure-operated means for operating the two-way valve, a feed conduit for cleansing fluid under pressure having two branches connected respectively to. the pressureoperated means, a reversing valve operable to control the flow of cleansing fluid through said branches respectively, a third branch conduit leading from the one of the two branches connected to the pressure means which operates the two-way valve to cut off the flow of liquid to be dispensed through the first conduit and to open the first conduit to the cleansing fluid, said third branch being connected to the two-way valve and serving to supply the cleansing fluid to the first conduit through the two-way valve, and

means for delaying the flow of cleansing fluid I through the third branch until the pressure has operated the two-way valve to cut off the flow of liquid to be dispensed.

4. In a liquid dispensing system, a reservoir for the liquid under pressure to be dispensed, a discharge faucet, a conduit between the reservoir and the faucet, valve means therein adjacent the reservoir and including a shiftable member, an air conduit connected to the former conduit ad jacent the faucet and having a normally closed valve therein, a cleansing fluid supply conduit connected to the valve means, said valve means normally opening the first conduit to the flow of liquid to be dispensed and operating to close the same and open the first conduit to the cleansing fluid, and pressure-operated means for operating the movable valve member, the pressure-operated .means comprising reversely-movable, pressure-operated elements connected to the shiftable valve member, the cleansing fluid supply conduit being under pressure and including two branches for conducting the cleansing fluid alternately to said pressure-operated elements and a reversing valve operable to direct the cleansing fluid to either of said branches, and exhaust the fluid from the other branch.

5. In a liquid dispensing system, the combination with a reservoir for a liquid under pressure to be dispensed, a discharge faucet, a conduit between the reservoir and the faucet, and means for returning the liquid in the conduit to the reservoir; of a hydraulically-operated two-way valve in the conduit adjacent the reservoir and operable into first position to open the conduit to the flow of liquid from the reservoir and into second position to cut off the flow of liquid from the reservoir, a water pressure system for operating said valve including branch conduits, motors in the branches for operating the two-way valve from either position to the other, a control valve operable into first position to open one branch to the flow of water to the motor therein and open the other branch to the outflow 01' water, and into second position to the flow of water through the second branch and open the first branch to the outflow of water, a cleansing fluid conduit connected to the two-way valve to be closed thereby when the two-way valve is in first position, and opened when in second position, a control valve in the cleansing fluid conduit, and means in the cleansing fluid conduit for retarding the flow of cleansing fluid to the two-way valve.

6. In a liquid dispensing system, the combination with a reservoir for a liquid under pres. sure to be dispensed, a discharge faucet, a conduit between the reservoir and the faucet, and means for returning the liquid in the conduit to the reservoir; of a hydraulically-operated twoway valve in the conduit adjacent the reservoir and operable into first position to open the conduit to the flow of liquid from the reservoir and into second position to cut off the flow of liquid from the reservoir, a water pressure system for operating said Valve including branch conduits, motors in the branch conduits for operating the two-way valve from either position to the other, and a control valve operable into first position to open one branch to the flow of water to the motor therein and open the other branch to the outflow of water and into second position to effect the flow of water through the second of said branches, and open the first branch to the outflow of water, a cleansing fluid conduit connected to the two-way valve to be closed thereby when the two-way valve is in first position, and opened when in second position, a control valve in the cleansing fluid conduit, and a pressure reducing valve in the cleansing fluid conduit.

'7. In a liquid dispensing system, the combination with a reservoir for a liquid under pressure to be dispensed, a discharge faucet, a conduit between the reservoir and the faucet, and means for returning the liquid in the conduit to the reservoir; of a hydraulically-operated twoway valve in the conduit adjacent the reservoir and operable into first position to open the conduit to the fiow of liquid from the reservoir and into second position to cut off the flow of liquid from the reservoir, a water pressure system for operating said valve including branch conduits, motors in the branch conduits for operating the two-way valve from either position to the other, and a control valve operable into first position to open one branch to the flow of water to the motor therein and open the other branch to the outflow of water and into second position to effect the flow of water through the second of said branches, and open the first branch to the outflow of water, a cleansing fluid conduit connected to the two-way valve to be closed thereby when the two-way valve is in first position, and opened when in second position, a control valve in the cleansing fluid conduit, and means for preventing the flow of cleansing fluid to the twoway valve until the two-way valve is operated to second position.

ARTHUR GORDON WHELER.

MAR'IIN J. ROZNOWSKI. 

